RAF Northolt Nightshoot XXXI held on the 3rd October 2024
The second of the two Nightshoots to be held at RAF Northolt in 2024 & once again organised
by Phil Dawe. This was number 31 in the long running series.
RAF Northolt Nightshoot XXXI again used a different layout to a number of the previous Nightshoots. Mainly, in this case, to accomodate the arrival
of the RAF Brize Norton based Boeing C-17A Globemaster III from 99 Squadron, which arrived just after 7.30PM and kept its
engines running until it departed some time later.
There were only a couple of late cancellations from the advertised list of participants for this event, these were,
the CN-235M from the French Air & Space Force & from the Irish Air Corps, the Pilatus PC-12 was also a no-show.
Once again, the list of participating aircraft at RAF Northolt Nightshoot XXXI was excellent, a real surprise was the Douglas C-47 Skytrain
'Drag-Em-Oot' which wasn't even on the participants list! An added bonus was, initially, the C-47 wasn't going to run, but thankfully,
it was allowed to run both of its engines, which under the RAF Northolt LED floodlights looked amazing.
The attendees were from the French Air & Space Force & the Royal Air Force together with the London Air Ambulance which had both its old & new helicopters
in the line up as a final chance to see the outgoing 902's with the new 135's.
L'école de pilotage de l’Armée de l’air sent a pair of Pilatus PC-21's, 709FM/11 & 709FN/12, from EAC.00315 BA709 Cognac-Châteaubernard
and from the European Defence Airlift School 00.319 based at BA702 Avord was an Embraer EMB-121 Xingu 072-YA.
From the Royal Air Force, arriving just after 7.30PM, Boeing C-17A Globemaster III, ZZ175 from 99 Squadron based at RAF Brize Norton.
From 32 Squadron based at RAF Northolt was Agusta AW109SP GrandNew, GZ100 & for the first time at a Nightshoot the new RAF Northolt based
Dassault Envoy IV CC1 (Falcon 900EX) G-ZABH was on the pan.
Also present was Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 ZK325 from 12 Squadron based at RAF Coningsby.
The surprise participant was Douglas C-47 Skytrain 'Drag-Em-Oot' 42-100882 N473DC.
Another thoroughly enjoyable event & fortunately we had good weather, roll on RAF Northolt Nightshoot XXXII which
has been confirmed for March 2025.
This section contains 63 images taken during the event :
RAF Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 ZK325
RAF Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 ZK325
RAF Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 ZK325
Douglas C-47 Skytrain 'Drag-Em-Oot' 42-100882 N473DC
Douglas C-47 Skytrain 'Drag-Em-Oot' 42-100882 N473DC
RAF Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 ZK325
RAF Boeing C-17A Globemaster III ZZ175
RAF Boeing C-17A Globemaster III ZZ175
RAF Boeing C-17A Globemaster III ZZ175
RAF Boeing C-17A Globemaster III ZZ175
RAF Boeing C-17A Globemaster III ZZ175
RAF Boeing C-17A Globemaster III ZZ175
RAF Boeing C-17A Globemaster III ZZ175
RAF Boeing C-17A Globemaster III ZZ175
RAF Boeing C-17A Globemaster III ZZ175
RAF Boeing C-17A Globemaster III ZZ175
RAF Boeing C-17A Globemaster III ZZ175
RAF Boeing C-17A Globemaster III ZZ175
RAF Boeing C-17A Globemaster III ZZ175
RAF Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 ZK325
RAF Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 ZK325
Douglas C-47 Skytrain 'Drag-Em-Oot' 42-100882 N473DC
Douglas C-47 Skytrain 'Drag-Em-Oot' 42-100882 N473DC
Douglas C-47 Skytrain 'Drag-Em-Oot' 42-100882 N473DC
French Air Force Embraer EMB-121 Xingu 072 / YA
French Air Force Embraer EMB-121 Xingu 072 / YA
French Air Force Embraer EMB-121 Xingu 072 / YA
RAF Boeing C-17A Globemaster III ZZ175
RAF Boeing C-17A Globemaster III ZZ175
French Air Force Embraer EMB-121 Xingu 072 / YA
French Air Force Embraer EMB-121 Xingu 072 / YA
Dassault Envoy IV CC1 G-ZABH
Dassault Envoy IV CC1 G-ZABH
Dassault Envoy IV CC1 G-ZABH
Dassault Envoy IV CC1 G-ZABH
Agusta/Westland AW109SP GrandNew GZ100
Douglas C-47 Skytrain 'Drag-Em-Oot' 42-100882 N473DC
Douglas C-47 Skytrain 'Drag-Em-Oot' 42-100882 N473DC
Douglas C-47 Skytrain 'Drag-Em-Oot' 42-100882 N473DC
Douglas C-47 Skytrain 'Drag-Em-Oot' 42-100882 N473DC
Douglas C-47 Skytrain 'Drag-Em-Oot' 42-100882 N473DC
Douglas C-47 Skytrain 'Drag-Em-Oot' 42-100882 N473DC
Douglas C-47 Skytrain 'Drag-Em-Oot' 42-100882 N473DC
Douglas C-47 Skytrain 'Drag-Em-Oot' 42-100882 N473DC
Douglas C-47 Skytrain 'Drag-Em-Oot' 42-100882 N473DC
Douglas C-47 Skytrain 'Drag-Em-Oot' 42-100882 N473DC
Douglas C-47 Skytrain 'Drag-Em-Oot' 42-100882 N473DC
Agusta/Westland AW109SP GrandNew GZ100
Agusta/Westland AW109SP GrandNew GZ100
Dassault Envoy IV CC1 G-ZABH
Dassault Envoy IV CC1 G-ZABH
French Air Force Pilatus PC-21's 709FM/11 & 709FN/12
French Air Force Pilatus PC-21's 709FM/11 & 709FN/12
French Air Force Pilatus PC-21 709FN/12
French Air Force Pilatus PC-21 709FM/11
French Air Force Pilatus PC-21's 709FM/11 & 709FN/12
French Air Force Pilatus PC-21 709FM/11
French Air Force Embraer EMB-121 Xingu 072 / YA
Douglas C-47 Skytrain 'Drag-Em-Oot' 42-100882 N473DC
RAF Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 ZK325
RAF Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 ZK325
RAF Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 ZK325
RAF Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 ZK325
All images Copyright İRoger Whitcomb 2024 - www.milairpix.com